Electric sadiron



July 27 1926.

' C. A. BREWER ELECTRIC SADIRON 2 Sheets-Sheet l mill/ll /llllll/n vll/'led Nov. l2

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,July 27, 1.926.v 1,593,898

C. A. BREWER ELECTRIC SADIRON Filed NOV- 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR Q.. @XM/Ivm B j ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, 1926.

l 1,593,898 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES A. BREWER, OF NOROTON HEIGHTS, CONNECTIIICUT, .ASSIGNOR TOCANNON ENGINEERING CO., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

ELECTRIC SADIRON.

Application Med November 12, 1925. Serial No. 68,561.

This invention relates, generally, to im# provements in electricl sadirons provided with means to extravasate steam from its pressing face todampen the goods undergoing pressinglr operations.,

This invention has for its principal object to rovide a novelconstruction of iron provi ed with a steam generating chamberintermediate its pressing face portion and an electrical heatingelement, in combination with controllable means for delivering yWaterfrom a source of supply, as needed, into said steam generating chamberfor conversion into steam, which thereupon may be extravasated throughthe vents of the pressing face portion of the iron upon the goodsundergoing pressing operations.

The invention has for a further object to provide an automatic 4meansfor maintaining a supply of water within the iron body, subject tocontrolled delivery into said steam generating chamber.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same.'

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of an electric steamsad iron showing an embodiment of the novel features and constructionaccording to this invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal section, taken online y2 2 in said Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a top or plan View of theiron, with parts broken away to show underlying structure.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, the reference character 4 indicates the body ortion of theiron, which is suitably ormed to provide a hollow interior 5.

Secured within the upper portion of said hollow interior 5 of the ironbody is a water reservoir 6, referably in the form of a relatively thinmetallic shell, the bottom 7 of which is more or less resilient andyieldable to downward pressure. Fixed upon the top of said iron body isa waterdelivery member 8 provided with an intake .duct or passage 9,which terminates at its inner end in an intake valve housing 10, fromthe lower side of which extends a valve passage 11 into communicationwith the interior of said water reservoir 6. Surrounding the upper endof said valve passage 11 is a valve seat 12. Secured to the resilientbottom 7 of said 4water reservoir is an upwardly extending valve stem13, to the upper free end of which is attached a valve member 14 forcooperation with said valve seat 12. The upper end of the valve housingmay be provided with a detachable cap 15, and, if desired, a pull spring16 may be connected between said cap and valve member 14 to assist theopening movement of the latter. Suitably coupled with the outer end ofsaid water'V delivery member 8, in communication with the duct orpassage 9, is a flexible water feed conduit or pipe 17 leading from amain water supply.

The body portion 4 of the iron is closed by a pressing face member orbottom 18. Secured within the hollow interior 5 of said body portion 4,and spaced above said pressing face member or bottom 18, so as toprovide a steam generation chamber 19 contiguous to said pressing facemember or bottom 18, is a partition member or plate 20. Both saidpressing face member or bottom 18 and said partition member or plate 20may be secured in connected relation to the iron body 4 in any mannerand by any means found convenient'and suitable. Disposed within thehollow interior 5 of said iron body 4, above and preferably in contactwith said partition member or plate 20, is the housing 21 of anelectrical heat generating element in the bottom of which are arrangedelectrical heating coils 22, or any other suitable form of electricalheat generating means. Said heat generating coils 22 are so placed as toreadily transfer the heat produced thereby, when in operation, to thepartition or plate 20, which is thus brought to a relatively hightemperature when the iron is in use. Con nected with the heel of saidiron body 4, but suitably insulated by insulation 23, are contactterminals or pins 24, with which the poles of the heat generating coils22 are electrically connected in circuit in the customary manner. Thesecontact terminals or pins 24 serve to receive the coupling connection 25of the flexible electric conductor 26 for supplying electric current tothe coils 22, also in the common manner familiar to those skilled in theelectric iron art.

Suitably attached to the upper side of said iron body 4 by the bailmembers 27,

is a hand grip member 28 by means of which the iron may be grasped andmanipulated.

The reference character 29 indicates an air pipe which is provided witha suitable control valve. The forward endY of said air pipe is enteredinto the interior of the iron body, preferably adjacent to the forwardend of the latter, and connected therewith is an air jet member 30 whichextends downwardly into said steam generation chamber 19 near theforward end thereof, the free end of said air jet member 30 being formedto provide a rearwardly directed nozzle 31. The. exterior portion ofsaid air pipe 29 may be supported in connection with t-he iron structurein any manner and by any means found convenient and desirable, butpreferably is mounted in connection with and supported by Said hand gripmember 28 by extending the same rearwardand longitudinally therethrough,as shown in the'aetompanying drawings. Connected with the rear end ofsaid air pipe, by being threaded thereto or in any other convenientmanner, is a cut-off valve casing 32, having an intake port 33 whichextends through the neck or rearward extension 34 thereof. Suitablycoupled 'in connection with said neck or rearward extension 34 is aflexible air hose 35 leading from any sultable source of air underpressure. Rotatably mounted in said valve casing 32 is a valve member 36having a valve port 37 normally in interrupted alinement intermediatethey intake port 33 and the bore of the air pipe 29. Secured to anexternal end of said valve member 36 is an actuating lever 38 normallypositioned in upwardly swung relation to the hand grip member 28 asdetermined by a stop projection 39 on the valve casing in which positionthe valve member is turned to air cut-off. or closed position. A springmeans, as 40 (see Figure 1) may be utilized in connection with saidactuating lever to hold the latter in normal valve closing position.

The reference character 41 indicates a water delivery siphon, the risingleg 42 of which is entered in the water reservoir 6, and the descendingleg 43 of which is carried downwardly so that its free or discharge end44 may extend into the steam generation chamber 19 and so as toterminate in front of said air discharge nozzle 31, with its extremityexposed in the path of the air discharged from the latter, as shown inFigures 1 and 2. A means for breaking the siphon to discontinue the flowof water therethrough is provided. This breaking means comprises an airport 45 formed in the wall of the rising leg 42 adjacent. to the elbowof the siphon, through which. when open, air may enter the Siphonpassage to interrupt and prevent the rise of water through said risingleg. A ball valve 46 cooperates with said air port 45, the same beingdisposed in a housing chamber 47 formed in said water delivery member 8,the latter being also provided with an air intake pczirt 48 leading intosaid housing chamber 4 The said pressing face member or bottom 18 of theiron is provided with a plurality of suitably disposed steam vents 49,through which the steam generated within the steam generation chamber 19may be extravasated to the goods over which the iron is moved whencarrying on pressing operations. Arranged within said steam generationchamber 19, soI as to extend above, and so as to be appreciably spacedupwardly from the interior side of said pressing face member or bottom18, is a baille-plate 50. This baffle-plate 50, while of the generaloutline shape corresponding to the shape of the chamber 19, is ofsomewhat smaller dimension in area, so as to provide intermediate itsperiphery and the side walls of said chamber 19 a passage space 51.(seeFigure 2) adapted to permit the steam generated in the chamber 19 abovesaid baffle-plate 50 .under the rear end of said main baffle-plate 50.Said forward end of said secondary baffle plate 52 is provided with anupturned lip 53, and the overlapping rear end of said main bathe-plateis provided with a downturned lip 54, thus providing a trap against theentrance of unvaporized liquid particles or the moisture of condensationfrom entering beneath the baille-plate 50 and upon the perforatepressing face member or bottom 18 The operation of the iron is asfollows:

Water is supplied through the feed conduit or pipe 17. 'If the reservoir6 is empty, the bottom 7 thereof will be disposed in normal initialraised position, and consequently the stem 13 of the valve 14 will be mcved upward to unseat the said valve 14, and thus open the Valve passage11 to the passage of water from said feed conduit or pipe 17 into theinterior ofthe reservoir 6. As the reservoir fills, the weight of thewater upon the resilient bottom 7 thereof, will tend to depress thelatter, thus drawing downward the stem 13 until the valve member 14seats itself and closes the valve passage 11 against further entrance ofwater.. As the water is drawn out of the reservoir, when using the iron,and the initial weight ot' water thereby reduced` the bottom 7 will tendto resume normal initial position, thus unseating the valve 14 forrenewed entrance of water into the reservoir to compensate for thelosses of use. As will be evident the action of the water admissionvalve 14 is thus automatic, and intermittent opening and closing of thesame will automatically maintain an adequate supply of Water within thereservoir 6 ready for use.

The Water reservoir being filled, in the manner above described,electric current is supplied to the heating element, and the iron isthereu on in condition for use. lVhen it is desired to generate steamand deliver the same upon the goods undergoing the pressing operations,the operator moves the air control valve by a proper manipulation of theactuating lever 38, so that air, from suitable source of supply underpressure, is caused to pass through the air pipel 29, and jet member30so as to be discharged into the steam generation chamber 19 from thenozzle 31. The blast of air thus produced sweeps past the discharge end44 of the water delivery Siphon 41, thus creating a suction within thelatter, which is effective both to move the ball valve 46 into closedrelation to the air port of said siphon and to thereupon cause waterfrom the reservoir 6 to ascend the rising Siphon leg 42 and thencethrough the descending Siphon leg 43 for emission from the discharge end44 of the Siphon. The small stream of water thus delivered from thedischarge end 44 of the siphon 41 is shattered or atomized by the blastot' air discharged from the nozzle 31, and is thus formed into a mist orWet mixture. This mist or Wet mixture is distributed through the steameneration chamber 19, and is Subjected to t e effects of heat producedby the electrical heating element, whereby the moisture constitutentthereof is converted into steam. The steam thus generated will passaround the baille-plate for circulation in the space underlying thelatter above the pressing face member or bottom 18, and will thereuponbe extravasated through the vents 49 of the latter upon the goods overwhich the iron is caused to move, thus at ence moistening and pressingthe goods.

It will be quite apparent that the heating element will also heat theiron body and its pressing face member or bottom, and consequently whenthe generation ot' steam is discontinued, the iron operates as anordinar)T dry iron.

ll'hen it is desired to discontinue the generation and extravasation ofsteam, theopcrator simply releases the actuating lever it follows thatthe formation of steam ceases,

and the .iron will thereupon operate as a dry iron, until by renewed Howof air the flow of water to the steam generation chamber 19 is likewiserenewed. It will be apparent that selective use of the iron as a steamiron or as a dry iron is possible at all times, or at any stage ot'pressing operations, at the Will ot' the operator.

From the above description it will be clear that my novel ironconstruction provides a steam generation means somewhat similar inaction to a flash type steam boiler. Such arrangement is one that isvery easily controlled, so that all the advantages of either a steam ordry iron may be quickly obtained. I

I am aware that seme changes may be made in the general arrangements andcom. binations of the various devices and parts, as Well as in thedetails of the construction of the same, without departing from thescope of this invention as above described, and as defined in theappended claims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exactarrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as set forth inthe foregoing specication, nor do I confine myself to the exact detailsof the construction lof said parts as illustrated'in the accompanyingdrawings.

I claim 1. .A sad iron comprising a hollow bod having a perforatepressing face portion and a steam generating chamber above said pressingface, a heating means contiguous to said' steam generating chamber, andmeans for discharging an atomized mixture of air and water into saidsteam generating chamber.

2. A sad iron comprising a hollow body having a pertorate pressing faceportion and a Steam generating chamber above said pressing face, a.heating means contiguous to said steam generating chamber, means, fordischarging an atomized mixture of air and water into said Steamgenerating chamber, and a battle plate means within Said steamgenerating,` chamber to extend over the perforations of said pressingface portion.

3. A sad iron comprising a hollow body having a perforate pressing faceand a steam generating chamber above said pressing face, a heating meanscontiguous to said steam generating chamber, a Water delivery meanswater delivery siphon leading from said reservoir with its discharge endentered in said steam generating chamber, and a valve controlledcompressed air delivery conduit having a discharge jet also entered insaid steam generating chamber and positioned to discharge an air streamacross the discharge end of said siphon.

5. A sad iron comprising a hollow body 'having a perforate pressing faceportion, a r partition within said body spaced above said pressing faceportion to provide a steam generating chamber, a heating meanscontiguous to said steam generating chamber, a Water reservoir connectedwith said body, a Water delivery siphon leading from said reservoir withits discharge. end entered in said steam generating chamber, a Valvecontrolled compressed air delivery conduit having a discharge jet alsoentered in said steam generating chamber and positioned to discharge a'nair stream across the discharge end of said siphon, and a baille platemeans Within said steam generating chamber to extend over theperforations of said pressing face portion.

6. A sad iron comprising a hollow body having a perforate pressing faceportion, a partition within said body spaced above said pressing faceportion to provide a steam generating chamber, a heating meanscontiguous to said steam generating chamber, a water reservoir connectedwith said body, a water supply pipe leading to said reservoir, automaticmeans for controlling the flow of water from said supply pipe into saidreservoir, a Water delivery Siphon leading from said reservoir with itsdischarge end entered in said steam generating chamber, and a valvecontrolled compressed air delivery conduit having a discharge jet alsoentered in said steam generating chamber and positioned to discharge anair stream across the discharge end of said Siphon.

7. A sad iron comprising a hollow body having a perforate pressing faceportion, a partition Within said body spaced above said pressing faceportion to provide a steam generating chamber, a heating meanscontiguous to said steam generating chamber, a water reservoir connectedwith said body, a Water extend over the perforations o said pressing vface portion.

8. A sad iron comprising a hollow body having a perforate pressing faceportion, a partitionwithin said body spaced above said pressing faceportion to provide a steam generating chamber, an electrical heatingelement contiguous to said steam generating chamber, a water reservoirconnected With said body, a Water delivery means leading from saidreservoir into said steam generating chamber, a valve controlledcompressed air delivery means also leading into said steam generatingchamber, and the discharge ends'of said Water and air delivery meansbeing cooperatively associated to discharge an atomized mixture of airand Water into said steam generating chamber.

9. A sad iron comprising a hollow body havin a perforate pressing faceportion, a

partition within said body spaced abover said pressing face portion toprovide a steam generating chamber, a heating means contiguous to saidsteam generatin chamber, a Water reservoir connected with said body, awater delivery siphon leading from said reservoir into said steamgenerating chamber, a normally` open automatic air valve cooperativewith the ascending leg of said Siphon, a valve controlled com ressed airdelivery means leading into sai steam generating chamber, and thedischarge ends of said siplion and air delivery means beingcooperatively associated to discharge an atomized mixture of air andwater into said steam generating chamber.

hollow body 10. A sad iron comprising a having a perforate ressing faceportion, a partition within saidp body spaced above said pressing faceportion to provide a steam generating chamber, a heating meanscontiguous to said steam generating chamber, a Water reservoir connectedwith said body, a water delivery Siphon leading from said reservoir intosaid steam generating chamber, a normally open automatic air valvecooperative with the ascending leg of said Siphon, a valve controlledcompressed air delivery means leading into said steam generatingchamber, the discharge ends of said siphon and air delivery means beingcooperatively associated to discharge an atsaid pressing face portion toomized mixture of air and water into said steam generating chamber, anda baille late means within said steam generating c amber-to extend overthe perforations of said pressing face portion.

' 11. A sad iron comprising a hollow body having a perforate pressingface portion, a partition within said body spaced above provide a steamgenerating chamber, a heating means contiguous tosaid steam gneratinchamber, a water reservoir connected with said body, a water supply pipeleading Ato said` reservoir, automatic means for controlling the flow ofwater from said supply pipeinto said reservoir, a water delivery Siphonleading from said reservoir into said steam generatin chamber, anormally open automatic air va ve cooperative with the ascending leg ofsaid Siphon, a valve controlled compressed air delivery means leadinginto said steam generating chamber, and the discharge ends of saidSiphon and air delivery means being cooperatively associated todischarge an atomized mixture of air and water into said steamgenerating chamber. 12. A sad iron comprising a hollow body havingaperforate pressing face portion, a partition within said body spacedabove said pressing face portion to provide a steam generating chamber,a heating means contiguous to said steam generating chamber, a 'Waterreservoir connected with said body, a water supply pipe leading to saidreservoir, automatic means for controlling the flow of Water from saidsupply pipe into said reservoir, a Water delivery siphon leading fromsaid reservoir into said steam generating chamber, a normally openautomatic air valve cooperative with the ascending leg of said Siphon, avalve controlled compressed air delivery means leading into said steamgenerating chamber, the discharge ends of said Siphon and air deliverymeans being cooperatively associated to discharge an atomized mixture ofair and water into said steam generating chamber, and a baffle platemeans within said steam generating chamber to extend over theperforations of said pressing face portion.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 4th day of November 1925.

' CHARLES A. BREWER.

